A chilling discovery has rocked Kericho County after a multi-agency team exhumed 33 bodies from a suspected mass grave at Makaburini Cemetery, raising serious questions about how the victims ended up buried in secrecy.
Government pathologist Dr Richard Njoroge confirmed that 25 of the bodies are children, while eight are adults—an alarming revelation that has intensified public outrage and demands for answers.
Numbers Shock Investigators
The exhumation followed a court order secured by homicide detectives after reports emerged of suspicious burials at the cemetery. Initially, authorities believed only 14 bodies had been interred at the site last Friday.
However, the discovery of 33 bodies—more than double the earlier estimate—has deepened the mystery and triggered a full-scale investigation.
The operation, conducted under the supervision of Martin Nyuguto and a government pathologist representing Johansen Oduor, turned the cemetery into an active crime scene.
Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), who had been camping at the site, carried out the day-long exercise under heavy rains before concluding at around 6pm.
Post-Mortems to Reveal Cause of Death
With the exhumation complete, focus has now shifted to post-mortem examinations scheduled to begin Wednesday, which are expected to establish the causes of death.
Officials from the Independent Medico-Legal Unit (IMLU) and human rights activists were present during the process, calling for transparency and accountability.
Hussein Khalid, Executive Director of Vocal Africa, stressed the need for truth:
“Lazima ukweli uweze kujulikana hawa ni kina nani waliozikwa hapa, walizikwa hapa kwa sababu gani na hawa wenyewe walikufa vipi.”
Activist Tony Were also urged swift government action to address cases involving unclaimed bodies and mysterious deaths.
Pressure Mounts for Independent Probes
Activists are now pushing for parallel investigations by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) and the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) to ensure accountability if foul play is confirmed.
Local leaders have also demanded answers from both county and national governments over the identities of the deceased and the circumstances of their burial.
Hospital Link Raises More Questions
Preliminary reports indicate that Nyamira Teaching and Referral Hospital had obtained a court order to dispose of 13 unclaimed bodies in a public cemetery within Kericho County.
However, the discovery of 33 bodies has raised urgent questions about the additional 20 bodies, how they were handled, and why there was no public communication.
Two Suspects in Custody
Detectives have arrested two suspects in connection with the case: David Araka Makori, the hospital’s Medical Superintendent, and Richard Towet.
On Monday, a court granted police 30 days to detain the suspects as investigations
